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Live Blog: Four straight turnovers help Texans whip Dolphins 30-10

HOUSTON _ A strong effort by the Dolphins defense through most of the opening half unraveled in the final two minutes when turnovers on four consecutive possessions helped Houston take a 24-3 halftime lead on its way to a 30-10 victory Sunday at Reliant Stadium.

A 73-yard punt return by newcomer Marcus Thigpen cut the difference to 24-10 early in the third quarter, but the Texans controlled the ball for much of the second half while tacking on field goals by Shayne Graham from 40 and 19 yards.

Miami reached the Texans’ 5 on two drives in the fourth quarter, but both drives stalled on downs. A TD on either occasion would have cut the Dolphins’ deficit to 13 points, the same number as the betting line entering the game, the largest in the NFL this week.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, becoming the first rookie ever to start a season opener for the Dolphins, threw three interceptions in the opening half, two of which came off passes that were batted by defensive end J.J. Watt. Daniel Thomas also lost a fumble as the Dolphins turned the ball over on four straight possessions.

Tannehill was 20-of-31 for 210 yards, no touchdowns and the three interceptions. The batted balls _ yet another one killed Miami’s final scoring opportunity of the game in the fourth quarter _ were a continuation of problems he had in preseason, a surprising development for a guy who stands 6-foot-4.

The Houston offense, which had been so ineffective for much of the half that the normally rabid Texans fans were booing its inability to get much done, took advantage of the series of Miami mistakes to score three touchdowns and a field goal off the four turnovers and turn a close game into a rout.

Arian Foster, who had 79 yards on 26 carries, scored the first two TDs on runs of 14 and 2 yards, and Miami native Andre Johnson hooked up with QB Matt Schaub to beat Sean Smith on a beautiful throw of 14 yards to the right corner of the end zone to make it 24-3.

Schaub was 20-of-31 for 266 yards and the one score, picking apart the inexperienced Miami secondary. Johnson finished with eight catches for 119 yards as he was often inexplicably single-covered.

Up to that point, the Dolphins had been a pleasant surprise most of the way.

The Dolphin defense forced the Texans to settle for a 35-yard field goal by Shayne Graham after the first Miami mistake, Johnathan Joseph’s interception and return, had given Houston a first down at the Miami 7. An incompletion, a sack by Randy Starks and a short run by Foster combined to lose 10 yards before Graham nailed the field goal to a chorus of boos.

But a second interception, this one by linebacker Brian Cushing after Tannehill’s pass was batted into the air by Watt, gave the Texans field position near midfield and they drove to Foster’s first rush TD of the season. Foster scored from 2 yards out after a third interception and Schaub hooked up with Johnson to end the blitz, all of which came in the final two minutes of the half.

Houston’s TD drives consumed 51, 27 and 31 yards.

Miami opened the scoring on a 39-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter late in the first period.

Houston chewed up yardage on its first two possessions but was unable to put up points, only getting close enough for Graham to attempt a 52-yard field goal that fell short.

Miami was fortunate in the early going as the Dolphins recovered a pair of their own fumbles, one that occurred when Mike Pouncey’s snap caught Tannehill off guard and a second when Brian Cushing stripped his old USC teammate Reggie Bush. Thomas caught the first bobble in mid-air and rookie tackle Jonathan Martin fell on the second, which came on the play before Carpenter’s kick.

Tannehill got off to a solid start, hitting six of his first eight passes for 45 yards.

The Dolphins had two undrafted free agents active for the game: C Josh Samuda and DE Derrick Shelby.